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SPRING 2016
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS
DEPARTMENTS
Director’s Corner
Breaking News
Village Spotlight: Los Guineos
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6
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7
FEATURES
Unlikely Acts of Worship
Plant With Purpose Is Growing
EDVARD IN FONDS-VERRETTES, HAITI, PLANTS
TREES AS AN ACT OF WORSHIPPING GOD.
UNLIKELY ACTS
OF WORSHIPGLORIFYING GOD THROUGH
CREATION CARE
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When I tell people we
work with farmers,
preconceived ideas
come to mind. For
most Americans, our
image of farming in-
volves men with trac-
tors on large, flat fields
cultivating a single crop.
The farmers who comprise the majority of
our partners are different in almost every way.
More than half are women. None have access
to mechanized farm machinery and if they did,
it probably would not matter because they
are farming steep, eroded hillsides that most
of us would never recognize as farms. Instead,
they use small, often homemade hand toolsand cultivate a wide variety of crops.
Although these farmers don’t tend to be part
of our popular imagination, globally they are
not at all unusual. Nearly one billion people
eke out their existence in this way, growing
most of what they eat without irrigation, fer-
tilizer, or machinery. They tend to be among
the poorest and most undernourished peo-
ple in the world. Of those whom I have met,
most are discouraged and disempowered, fo-
cused on day-to-day survival, at least when
we begin partnering with them.
It is easy to see these farmers’ tiny parcels of
wasteland and their weary, hopeless counte-
nances and imagine that things will always
be this way—that their only hope lies some-
where else. But I believe God calls us to be
people of imagination. We can look at those
farms and start to imagine how a family’s life
might change if the hillsides were transformed
into verdant and fruitful gardens full of good
things. It is possible, and may even be easier
than we think! God has given us a multitude
of tools that can be used to restore degraded
land. We can also begin to imagine what it
would be like if tired parents regained hope
for the future and if children were able to de-
velop and use their manifold talents.
Innovative agricultural techniques and Village
Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), which
mobilize local savings, give farmers a taste of
progress so that they too begin to imagine
what might be possible. Once that happens,
these hardworking men and women become
nearly unstoppable.
Our church partnerships and Bible study cur-
riculum reinforce the idea that not only does
God love them, but also has a purpose for
their lives. This reinforces participants’ senseof agency and vocation. Their hope and re-
solve continue to grow.
This makes for a startling contrast. When one
talks with farmers who have been in the Plant
With Purpose program for a few years, it is
clear they are anything but hopeless. They
have discovered they do have the ability to
change their lives and get to play a role in re-
deeming their communities and the land they
depend on. They are the ones creating change.
In this issue of The Sower , we get to hear how
some of these farmers have discovered their
calling in stewarding God’s creation. No lon-
ger discouraged, no longer merely surviving,
they see themselves as active participants in
God’s work in the world.
Scott Sabin
Executive Director
THE SOWER ISSUE #111 Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonpro
organization, reverses deforestation an
poverty around the world by transform
ing the lives of the rural poor.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Scott Sabin
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
AND MARKETING:
Christi Huizenga
MARKETING AND EVENTS:
Becky Rosaler
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLE
TRANSFORMATION
STAY CONNECTED:
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 858.274.3718
Email: [email protected]
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
Tw: @PlantWPurpose
Fb: facebook.com/PlantWithPurpose
Leave a Legacy. Please consider inclu
ing Plant With Purpose in your wills
and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:
copyright © 2016 Plant With Purpose
DIRECTOR’S
CORNER
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PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
BREAKING NEWS
PLANTING HOPE GALA
Mark your calendars! The 2016
Planting Hope Gala is taking place
on Saturday, October 8. Join us at
Omni La Costa Resort and Spa for
an evening of celebrating the life-
changing work taking place through
Plant With Purpose.
THE JUSTICE CONFERENCE
Join us June 3-4 in Chicago as we
engage in the conversation based on
Amos 5:2 of letting justice roll. The
Justice Conference endeavors to call
followers of Christ into a more inten-
70 percent of the world’s poor
depend on the land to survive.
But when trees are cut down,
the land stops producing and
families go hungry.
Enter Root 7. Your $7 plants a tree in 7 coun-
tries every month. When you join Root 7,you’re doing more than putting trees in the
ground. You’re planting healing, opportu-
nity, and hope for a better future. You see,
trees restore the environment, clean the
water, nourish the soil, protect farms from
erosion, and provide a source of income
and food for farming families. In short,
trees are life to the rural poor.
This spring, join the movement. Root 7
member benefits include a custom steel
tumbler and regular updates on the impact
your trees are making around the world.
GIVE.
PLANT.GROW.
tional lifestyle of ‘living justly’ as we seek
to live out our faith as disciples of Jesus.
Plant With Purpose is honored to spon-
sor the event. Visit thejusticeconference.
com for more details.
RECEIVE THE SOWER BY EMAIL
If you would like to receive the Sower
by email and save a tree, please send
an email to info@plantwithpurpose.
org with your name and current email
address under the subject of eSower.
Or simply follow the steps on the en-
closed envelope.
UPCOMING VISION TRIPS
If you haven’t visited one of Plant
With Purpose’s programs, we’d love
for you travel with us. Additional trips
for 2016 are in the works. ContactBecky Rosaler for more information:
Dominican Republic: August 8-12
Tanzania: September 2-10
Haiti: October 17-22
Mexico: Fall
Join Root 7 today at plantwithpurpose.org/root-7
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A question we often ask partnering
farmers is how their relationship with
God has changed since Plant With
Purpose began working with their
communities. A common reply is,
“We are now planting trees.”
In my American mindset, I dismissed
these responses, thinking that some-
where along the line, something was
missed. Maybe they misunderstood the
question. Tree planting is an environ-
mental activity not something that re-
flects a maturing relationship with the
Lord. Something must have been lost
in translation.
The significance of these statementswas lost on me. It was not until travel-
ing to Tanzania and hearing first-hand
responses that the categorization of
activities and their impacts began to
make sense. To Plant With Purpose
partnering farmers, the act of plant-
ing trees is an act of worship. It is an
outward expression of their faith, a way
in which they are honoring God and
walking in obedience.
A THEOLOGY OF CREATION CAREWe could base this tree-planting theol-
ogy on Paul’s writing in Colossians 3:17,
“And whatever you do, whether in word
or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.” However, we see from Gen-esis to Revelation, the Scriptures talking
about creation and offering insights into
God’s relationship with the physical works
of his hands. God puts Adam in the garden
and tells him to tend and keep the land.
After the great flood, the Lord makes a
covenant promise to never flood the earth
again. The songs in Psalms offer perspec-
tive on how the trees and the hills praise
the Lord while the heavens declare the
glory of the Lord. Proverbs render guide-
lines for the ethical treatment of animals.
Paul’s letters recognize Christ as being be-
fore all creation. And in Revelation, John
closes with the new heaven coming down
to earth where the Tree of Life is central in
the coming kingdom.
Plant With Purpose participants across the
seven international programs understand
this insight. God created the earth. He
cares about creation. We were given the
responsibility to steward it. So of course,
planting trees is an act of worship.
CONNECTED TO CREATIONFar off the main roads in the Domini-
can Republic, Andrés Gonzalez lives in
a jewel-toned house with his wife and
seven children. Andrés’ farm is a multi
story agroforestry plot reminiscent o
Eden with bananas, coffee, cassavaand cacao growing together. The edge
of his farm drops steeply to a stream
below. Andrés sees it as his responsi
bility to protect this water source. “I’m
a watchman of water. If you don’t have
water, you don’t have life.” But it is not
only the water Andrés is protecting
He shares, “Genesis 3:19 says, ‘From
dust you came, and to dust you wil
return.’ So by taking care of the land
we are taking care of ourselves.” These
profound words serve as a reminde
of our roots and our connection to the
land. Andrés honors God by taking
care of God’s creation.
THE TREE PLANTING EVANGELISTHalfway around the world in Tanzania
Isaya Mongowi is taking on the task o
reforesting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Isaya shares
“I used to be the poorest of the poor.” Be
fore partnering with Plant With Purpose
his property resembled a desert. The land
took the brunt of years of deforestation
ISAYA DEDICATES THIS TREE TO PLANT
WITH PURPOSE. IT WAS THE FIRST ONE
HE PLANTED ON HIS PROPERTY IN 2008.
UNLIKELY ACTS OF WORSHIPGLORIFYING GOD THROUGH CREATION CAREBY BECKY ROSALER, Marketing and Events Coordinator
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PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
and poor soil management. Isaya began
implementing the sustainable agriculture
techniques he learned from Plant With Pur-
pose. This included planting trees. These
trees added nutrients to the soil, while
protecting the soil from harsh rain. Today
he shares, “We have seen many changes
to the environment. My land now looks
like a forested garden. We get everything
we need from our property including corn,
sweet potatoes, bananas, and eggs.”
“We’re taught that God created the earth
and we are commanded to take care of
it. Planting trees is one way we do this,”
shares Isaya. His tree nursery holds hun-
dreds of seedlings, which he gives away
for free. He calls these seedlings his bible—
small objects holding countless lessons
and valuable in their worth. Neighbors and
friends are drawn to the transformation
they see in Isaya’s life and in his land. Isaya
instructs them on how to plant trees and
even provides environmental education to
the children in the local school. Tree plant-
ing is now part of the local curriculum to
which Isaya declares, “I love this work.”
ACTIVATING THE LOCAL CHURCHEnvironmental stewardship is a core val-
ue of Plant With Purpose’s staff. A walk
through rural Dominican communities
with Country Director Carlos Disla can
turn into a waste management lesson
as he encourages children to properly
dispose of their trash. This value filters
through staff to churches and creates
change in the communities.
In Mexico, the local church is orches-
trating community-recycling programs.
The team in Mexico is developing a
new curriculum called “Manos a la Tier-
ra” (Hands to the Earth), which teaches
the biblical basis for creation care.
In Thailand, Mrs. Rom Lamai shares
that because of Plant With Purpose’s
involvement in her community, “We
better understand about making our
village clean with the idea of ‘reduce,
reuse, and recycle,’ as well as planting
and taking care of trees in our village.”
Plant With Purpose’s emphasis on en-
vironmental restoration has influenced
the culture of the Lutheran Church
in Tanzania. They are embracing the
church’s role in stewarding creation to
the extent that each child who goes
through confirmation plants a tree.
In just a few months, Plant With Purpose
has been changing perspectives in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pas-
tor Kasongo Kategere recently shared,
“When we were invited to a training
on the ‘Theology of Work,’ as a pastor
and teacher of the Word of God, I was
surprised to learn a new discipline that
we have ignored for decades. After the
training, I realized that work is compul-
sory for Christians. God, by His unfath-
omable love, placed man in a naturally
pleasant environment. Like Adam, he
asked us to cultivate and keep it. De-
spite my advanced age, I decided to
accept the tree seedlings from Plant
With Purpose. I just planted more than
820 trees. I know these trees cannot
benefit me now, but they will be useful
for later generations.”
LEARNING FROM THE FARMERSPlant With Purpose partnering farmers
challenge me to ask the question, “Is
environmental stewardship part of my
worship?” To some degree I can answer,
“Yes.” Composting, recycling, keeping
my shopping in check, buying at farmers’
markets, and being aware of single-use
plastics are resource decisions that filter
through my mind and daily drive my ac-
tions. As I look to Plant With Purpose’s
partnering farmers, I realize there is room
for growth. Will you join us in embrac-
ing a theology that includes creation care
and discovering new ways to glorify God
through stewardship of his creation?
CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP:
Tune into an Earth Day webinar by Scott Sabin on April 22.
Can Faith Be Green? a sermon by Timothy Keller
Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for God’s People by Scott Sabin
Saving God’s Green Earth: Rediscovering the Church’s Responsibility to Environ-
mental Stewardship by Tri Robinson
Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action by Matthew Sleeth
Earthwise: A Guide to Hopeful Creation Care by Calvin B. DeWitt
Our Father’s World: Mobilizing the Church to Care for Creation by Edward R. Brown
Search “environment” on Q Ideas’ website (qideas.org)
Invite Scott Sabin to speak on the topic at your church.
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2015 PROGRAM
MILESTONES INCLUDE:
3.28 million trees planted
838Village Savings and Loan
Associations (VSLAs)
equipped and saving
25,000families trained insustainable agriculture
349church partnerships culti-
vated
PROGRAM GROWTH Virgilio, a partnering farmer from the village of Palmarito, Mexico, shares, “I thank Plant
With Purpose for the support we have received. This community has taken a positive
turn!” In rural communities, the needs are great. Yet, as more and more families under-
stand the solutions Plant With Purpose offers, engagement increases and programs are
rapidly expanding. The fruit of these partnerships and the growth of the program are
encouraging. Change is taking root as hillsides are now covered in lush trees, families
are enjoying hearty meals, and church congregations are living out their faith together.
The growth of Plant With Purpose programs is fueled in part by our focus on effective-
ness and efficiency. By constantly seeking to improve the program and finding ways to
provide the most transformative service at the lowest cost, the program cost per family
has decreased by 35 percent in the last year, allowing us to reach even more families.
U.S. REGIONAL EXPANSIONOur team is constantly amazed at the dedication and heart of
supporters who invest in the mission and vision of Plant With
Purpose. Donors and volunteers are instrumental to the pro
gram, and we are thankful for the important role they play in
empowering farming families.
In order to sustain continued growth, Plant With Purpose is ex
panding its network of supporters. We are thrilled to announce
the recent hire of two regional representatives. Dave Luebke
man is overseeing partnerships in the San Francisco Bay Area
and Valerie Foulkes is launching an office in Houston, Texas
These regional hubs will act as platforms to engage additiona
churches, donors, and volunteers in providing hope for rura
farming families faced with poverty and deforestation. If you
would like to meet Dave or Valerie, please contact the office at
EXPANSION TO NEW COUNTRIESPlant With Purpose is expanding its programs to meet the needs of
the rural poor through a pilot project in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC). This project officially launched in July 2015 and is
off to an incredibly strong start. Six-months in, Plant With Purpose
DRC has reached the following benchmarks:
- 11 pilot project staff hired
- 379 families participating (annual target of 179 families)
- VSLA training with Tanzania staff complete
- 10 VSLAs launched (annual goal of 9 groups)
- Tree nurseries established (60,000 seedlings in development)
We anticipate rapid yet sustainable transformation in partnering commu-
nities in the DRC. Foundational work to launch an eighth county program
in Ethiopia by 2017 is being pursued. Plant With Purpose is excited to par-
ticipate in God’s redemptive purposes in new regions around the world.
PLANT WITH PURPOSE IS GROWINGEXPANSION IN THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY
BY ELLEN NOYES AND MELISSA COY
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VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:LOS GUINEOS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Honeymoon destinations like Punta Cana,
Puerto Plata, and Bavaro draw many to thewarm tropical waters of the Dominican Re-
public. Santo Domingo and the Colonial
City offer rich history, Spanish architecture,
and nightlife. Tourism undoubtedly drives
the Dominican economy with the service in-
dustry being the greatest contributor to the
country’s GDP. Once a people reliant on ag-
riculture, many Dominicans now migrate to
cities in hopes of finding work. Rural family
farms are abandoned, neglected lands suf-
fer, and generating income in rural commu-
nities becomes increasingly challenging.
When Plant With Purpose began partnering
with the community of Los Guineos in 2014,
Epifanio Antonio Santos was close to calling
it quits. The 55-year-old father of five did not
see a future for his children in the despairing
community. The Santos’s would not be the
first family to seek a new home in a nearby
city; urban population continues to grow as
rural communities diminish.
When Plant With Purpose reached out to
the people of Los Guineos, the communi-ty jumped at this chance for redemption.
While most communities slowly adopt
new techniques and methodologies, Los
Guineos surpassed expectations by a land-
slide. In just a year and a half, Epifanio has
reinvigorated his own farm and now serves
as president of the Neighborhood Council,
promoting community-wide training and
tree planting efforts.
The newly established Village and Sav-
ings Loan Association (VSLA) already has38 members. Through the savings group,
Epifanio learned to manage his mon-
ey, has taken out loans for his children’s
education, and jokes that the local VSLA
has improved his social life! The savings
group serves as a platform for community
development. “Our community has been
able to establish an elementary school, a
high school, a rural clinic, a church, and a
new road,” Epifanio says.
Most importantly, Epifanio and his neigh-
bors recognize that their recent blessingscome from their Creator: “Thanks to Plant
With Purpose I am closer to God. Whenever
we start a meeting, we always put it in God’s
hands. We ought to give something back. He
gives us so much.”
Hope and unity are being restored to the
once despairing community of Los Guineos.
Epifanio shares, “I feel more motivated than
ever to continue working to improve living
conditions of those who are most in need,
those forgotten by the government. If it werenot for Plant With Purpose, I would have emi-
grated from my community. Thanks to Plant
With Purpose I changed my mind.”
For just $1 a day you can provide hopeful al-
ternatives to communities like Los Guineos,
keep families like Epifanio’s together, and
promote long-term investment in farms.
Fill out the enclosed envelope or visit:
plantwithpurpose.org/sponsor-a-village.
BY KIRSTIE HIBBARD, Outreach Coordinator
EPIFANIO SANTOS PROUDLY
SHOWS THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR.
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Plant With Purpose
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 858.274.3718
Email: [email protected]
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
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Information inside.
FOR PARTNERING FARMERS IN HAITI,
PLANTING TREES IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP.